Igniting device



3m@ 9 Ego L. A. M.4 PHELN IGNITING DEVI Filed Dec. 23 1932 mated Je s, i924.

D STATES LOUIS A. M. PHELAN, OF BELOIT, WISCONSIN.

IGNITING DEVIOI.

Application led December 23, 1922. -Serial No. 608,619.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Louis A. M. PHELAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beloit, in the county ofRock and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Igniting Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to devices used for the ignition of combustible material such as ordinarily used in heating equipments, steam producing plants and the like.

More particularly my invention relates to apparatus for the-electrical ignition of combustible fluid, such as oil in the form of a spray 'as commonly burned in fire boxes of boilers and heating plants.

an igniting `device of the above type, which may be positioned in the region of combustion and may be allowed to remain in this position Without deterioration during long periods oftime even when combustion isl taking place and when the device is constantly maintained electrically heated yat such times.

A more particular object of my invention 3o is to provide a means for supplying a draft of cooling air tothe immediate vicinity of an igniting device of the above indicated type, which draft of air can be regulated in order to maintain a constant temperature at a5 the igniting device.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the above indicated type, which is of sim le and durable construction and which can readily installed and does e0 not require careful attention even after long use.

Further objects will appear upon reference to the following description and accompanying drawings, 1n whch- Figure 1 is a view showing the device installed in operative osition in a fire box;

Fig. 2 is a longitu inal' sectional view of my device;

'Fig 3 is a detail view-of the ignition element, together with Athe conducting and supporting leads therefor;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line of Fig. 3; and,

One object of my invention is to provideV Fig. 5 is a detail view similar to that of Fig. 3but showing a modified form of ignition element. 4

The device as shown comprises in a general way an ignition element comprising a section of resistance wire 10, positioned at the inner end of a housing or air duct 11, which in turn is placed in an oil burning fire box as at 12.

In Fig. 1, the fire box 12 may be of a usual and suitable type provided with an oil nozzle 13 which furnishes a spray of oil or other combustible fluid 14. The ire box 12 is provided-with a door 15 of the usual type having an opening 16, providing for the insertion of the housing 11. The housing 11 may be attached to the door 15 by a suitable bracket 17. The distance to which the housing is inserted into the re box may be. adjusted by sliding the housing longitudinally in the bracket 17 The housing meinber comprises a hollow tube 18, having an end plug 19 at its inner end. The end plug 19 may be Iixed within the end of the housing by forced fitting or by other suitable means.

The inner end of the tube 18 may be provided with an opening or slot 20 through' which the resistance element 10 protrudes. Two electrical leads and supporting members 21 and 22, preferably composed of strap-iron or the like, are provided for the resistance element 10. The leads 21 and 22 may extend from the resistance element to the outer end of the tube 18 where they may be connected in circuit with a source of current. The leads are maintained in spaced relation and the lead 21 is kept out of contact with the tube 18 by means of screws 23 and 24, insulated from the leads by suitable insulating washers 25 made of asbestos or the like.

The inner ends of the leads 21 and 22 are provided with openings 26 and 26a, respectively, through which the ends of the resistance element 10 are inserted. The ends of the resistance element may be welded in place, as shown in Fig. 3.

A drill hole 27 is provided in the end plug 19 at a point opposite the end of the resistance element 10. This drill hole permits of a slight extension of the resistance element therein and thus serves to retain the resistance element and the attached parts se' curely in their proper position in relation to the slot 20.

The lead 22 is rovided with an extension 28 which protru es from slot 20 for a distance slightly greater than does the resistance element 10 and thus serves to divert a substantial portion of the oil spray into the immediate vicinity of the resistance element.

It will be noted that the slot is located at the lower side of the tube 18 and thus the accumulation of oil from the oil spray 18 is prevented at this point in the housing. The slot 20 is directed slightly to one side from a central position, as shown in Fig. 1, in order to permit of more direct contact with the oil spray.

The outer end of the housing may be extended as at 29 (Fig. 1 for the connection of a source of forced raft, if desired. A suitable coupling 30 is provided for leading out the electrical connections. The amount of draft through the housing, either forced or natural draft, may be regulated by a dam er 31.

Fi 5 shows a modified type of structure vin w ich but one electrical lead 32 is used in a housing 33, the housing serving as the return lead. The lead 32 is insulated from the housing 33 by a block of insulation 34 and is provided at its end with a resistance element 35 extending from the end of housing 33. The resistance element 35 may be welded at 36 to the lead 32 and also welded at 37 to the housing and may thus serve to retain the lead 32 securely in place.

The resistance elements 10 and 35 may be composed of any suitable material as ordinari y used for electrical resistances. Noneorrosive alloys of nickel and iron have been found to be satisfacto for this purpose.

ln the operation of t e device, the current is first admitted through the resistance element 10 and when the temperature of the resistance element is raised suiiiciently the ignition of the oil spray 14 takes place. The current through the resistance element may now, if desired, continue to be maintained in vorder to insure the continuous heating of the resistance element so that in case for any reason combustion of the oil spray is momentarily stopped, it will become immediately ire-ignited, and the continuation of the spray will not create a fire hazard. As soon as combustion takes lace in the oil s ray, a natural draft will e created inthe re box 12, which will draw a certain quantity of air through the housing 11 and into the region immediately adjacent the heated element 10. The quantity of this air can be readily adjusted by the damper 31 in order lto imal tain the resistance element at practically-'a constant temperature, even while combustion of the oil spray takes lace. 1t will-lie understood vthat in the a sence of cooling means, the combined heat of the burning oil and of the current passing through the resistance element would be sufhcient to soon heat this element and its surrounding housing and supports to their melting point. The draft of cooling air through the housing 11 may be adjusted to an amount which is just suiicient to counteract the heatin elect upon these parts of the burning oi and thus after combustion begins, the resulting draft through the housing will provide means for preventing overheating of the device.

It will be noted that the ignition device, as shown, is located at the lower edge of the oil spray 12. This osition enables advantage to be taken of t e cooling elect of any air entering from the lower side of the lire box and at the same time permits the positioning of the resistance element at a point where it will come into direct contact with the oil spray. This position of the ignition element has been found to be very advantageous in addition to the draft through the housing member 11.

I desire that my invention bel broadly interpreted and limited only by the rior art and by the scope of the appended c aims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent in the United States, is:

1. An igniting device positioned in a region of combustion, and means producin a draft of air for preventing overheating o said device.

2. An igniting device positioned in a re ion of combustion, and means producing a raft of air in the immediate vicinity of said device for maintaining its temperature below that of the surrounding region of combustion.

3. An igniting device positioned in a region of combustion, anda iiue for conducting a cooling fluid to the immediate vicinity of said device.

4., An igniting element positioned in a region of combustion, and an air duct surrounding said element and having an opening adjacent thereto, said duct extending to a point outside said region of combustion.

5. A device :for igniting a spray of combustible Huid, comprisin an electrically heated element positione in said spray, leads for said element extending to a point outside the region of said spray and an air duct surrounding said leads.

6. The combination of an igniting device positioned in a spray of combustible fluid, and a housing orsaid device, said housing having an opening for the exposure of said device to the spray, said opening being positioned at the lower side of said housing to prevent accumulation of said combustible Huid in said housing.

7. The' method of preventing overheating am meebeee l l of en initing device positioned in a'region lor" combustion comprising an air duct suro com ust'on which comprises utilization rounding said element, and means for edo the naturel draft in the region of com# justably controlling the How of air through. bustion to. supply e draft of cooling air to said duct,

e the immediate vicinity of said igniting 10. The combination of an igniting deso device.. l vice positioned in a spray of combustible 8. The method of preventing overheating Huid, with means fordeecting a portion ci of an igniting device in a region of comsaid spray into the immediate vicinity of bustion which comprises so positioning said said device..- 10 device as to obtain utilization of the natural In witness whereof, I have hereunto suh- 2e draft in the region of combustion to supply scribed my name, a draft of cooling air to the immediate 'LOWS A. M. PHELAN.

vicinity of said device. y Witnesses:

9. Means for' regulating the temperature f ALICE J. HAUGAN,

le of an igniting element positioned in a region NELL Brunnen 

